Chronology Current Month Current Thread Current Date
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Prev] [Date Next]

Forces on Free Falling Objects



I'm a senior in a high school physics class and were studying Newton's
Third Law. When reading one of the examples of acting and reacting
forces in my text, I was baffled. They gave an example of a boulder
falling towards the earth with the earth's gravity pulling down on the
boulder and the boulder pulling up on the earth. I was thinking that if
every falling object had a force within them that pulled up on the
earth, than eventually a force could be found to overcome earth's
gravity. I know such examples of this exist such as rockets and harrier
jump jets, but never have I seen a falling or free falling object have
enough force to overcome gravity. The examples I listed always start
out at rest. Will we ever find a force great enough to halt a falling
object to a rest? Pardon my elementary logic, but if I could get a
reply it would be much appreciated. Thank you

Scott Beattie
Mrs. Manor's Physics Class
Orchard View High School